Book Review - The Perfect Daughter by D.J. Palmer

 

 

Sixteen year old Penny Francone is accused of being a murderer. She was found alone in the victim's apartment covered in the victim's blood and holding the murder weapon. The victim's identity and her relationship to Penny gives Penny the perfect motive for committing the crime. The only thing the jury will need to decide is where Penny will serve out her sentence. Will she be spending the rest of her life in a state mental hospital or a maximum security prison? Her mother, Grace, is still reeling from the sudden death of her husband and now she is grateful that Massachusetts doesn't allow the death penalty. 

Penny is waiting for her trial to start in a mental hospital. She is being treated by Dr. Mitchell McHugh, a psychiatrist who is struggling with his own demons. Grace's determination to understand why her daughter murdered someone helps fuels Mitch's resolve to the family. They try to work together to find the truth behind that night and instead they discover secrets and lies that can tear them apart.

I thought the book was an interesting read with a few twists at the end. I thought the book was a bit slow during the middle parts and I sometimes felt that book would have been better if it was shorter. There was also some side stories that I didn't really care about such as, Jack doing a video documentary on his sister. I understand the author might have included that bit to show why Jack was involved in helping to prove his sister's innocence but, it felt unnecessary. I wish the author spent more time fleshing out the main characters more. Overall, it was a decent read and I would read other books by the author.

Book Review - Saving Meghan by D.J. Palmer

Photo Credit - Amazon

Becky Gerard is a devoted mother and she will do anything for her teenage daughter, Meghan. Her husband, Carl, believes Becky is obsessed with Meghan's illness and finding a cure. Meghan has been in and out of hospitals due to an unexplained illness. And Meghan's doctors have conflicting medical diagnoses. One of her doctors suspects Munchausen syndrome by proxy. There is a growing rift between the Gerards as they become suspicious of each other. Will Becky be able to prove that her daughter has a deadly disease before time runs out?

I thought the novel was an interesting and suspenseful read. It was a delightful combination of thriller, medical mystery, and whodunit. The small cast of characters felt human with their vulnerabilities along with how far they will go help someone they love. Some of the twists were a bit predictable but, overall it was an enjoyable read.

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